Significant Zeros
Identify the significant and nonsignificant zeros in each of the following measured numbers:
a. 0.000 250 m b. 70.040 g c. 1 020 000 L
a. The zeros preceding the first nonzero digit of 2 are not significant. The zero in the last decimal place following the 5 is significant.
b. Zeros between nonzero digits or at the end of decimal numbers are significant. All zeros in 70.040 g are significant.
c. Zeros between nonzero digits are significant. Zeros at the end of a large number with no decimal point are placeholders but not significant. The zero between 1 and 2 is significant, but the four zeros following the 2 are not significant.